Parents

Today and tomorrow, we have Parent Conferences at my school Cooke Center for Learning and Development. We are so fortunate in that most of our parents are happy with their child's progress. It is so nice to hear from the parents what they are experiencing with their son and daughter. We laugh and talk about the funny things the child has said or did. Plus we also talk seriously about the child's learning, social and behavior challenges. The parent's perspective of how to handle situations sheds light on many of the issues for me.

Topics covered today included:

• the struggle with homework each night and the desire for the child to do it perfectly,


• the pride a mom had for her child for finally reading a book on his own,


• the appropriate consequences for misbehavior,


• the way the child mimics and reenacts the school day for parent,


• the deep conversations about the hurts and pain the child has experienced


• the inappropriate behavior of talking back to adults,


• the desire for a mom to see her daughter make a friend on her own


• the mother and daughter evenings


• the weekly dinner date a mom has with her son


• the way a dad refers to his daughter as a princess,


• and the excitement the child has about school trips and rewards.

I left work today admiring the parents and the love and dedication they show their children each day. People say teaching is hard work. But I think parenting is even harder. To all you parents out there-Thank you for the Good Work you do each day!!!

Sr. Jeannie